WEEI sports radio host Kirk Minihane has been suspended for one week for dis disparaging on-air comments he made about Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews in two recent programs.

Minihane, one of three co-hosts of the morning drive “Dennis and Callahan” program, referred to Andrews as a “gutless b----” last Wednesday while discussing the sideline reporter’s awkward interview with Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright during the All-Star Game.

He was not through. Minihane apologized for his comments in a statement posted on WEEI.com that night. But upon returning from vacation this Wednesday – his first day on the air since the original comments—he punctuated a verbal apology by suggesting that Andrews’s success is based on looks rather than ability, saying if she “weighed 15 pounds more she would be a waitress.”

WEEI sports radio host Kirk Minihane has been suspended for a week by Entercom Communications, the station’s parent company, for disparaging on-air comments he made about Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews during two recent programs.

However, his suspension did not come 2 hours after Fox pulled all of its advertising the Entercom company, the parent company of WEEI. Entercom has more than 100 stations nationwide. They also said no Fox personalities would be allowed to appear on any Entercom station.

So what was the real motivation for Minihane's suspension by WEEI? Both these disparaging remarks were made some time ago.

Did WEEI finally come to the conclusion that their anchor had gone over the line? Or was it just coincidence that the suspension came ONLY after Fox pulled all its advertising from WEEI's parent company...over 100 stations?

Also, is this not what the owners hire the anchors to do? To stir up controversy. The other two anchors, Dennis and Callahan certainly have. So is it hypocritical to suspended an anchor for doing what you hired them to do?

There is a related story. "What Does It Take To Get Fired From Boston Radio?" that is interesting and related to this story.

So thoughts on this? Did WEEI do the right thing? If so, was it enough? Is it all about the bottom line?

Was WEEI hypocrital in suspending this anchor, even if only for a week?

Minihane’s suspension was announced Friday night by Entercom president and chief executive officer David Field. His statement came hours after Fox Sports informed him with a terse letter it was pulling all advertising from the company’s more than 100 stations nationwide, including WEEI.

“Kirk Minihane’s statements regarding Erin Andrews were offensive and deplorable,” said Field. “It is clear by the response from our listeners, advertisers, and employees that Kirk’s efforts to apologize and make this right have been insufficient and ambiguous. We want to make it unequivocally clear that his comments were unacceptable and do not reflect Entercom’s values and standards.”

RELATED WEEI Host Slams Erin Andrews WEEI's 'Dennis and Callahan' Will No Longer Air on NESN What Does it Take to Get Fired from Boston Radio? Share This Story

Sports ShareMinihane, one of three co-hosts of the morning drive “Dennis and Callahan” program, referred to Andrews as a “gutless b----” last Wednesday while discussing the sideline reporter’s awkward interview with Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright during the All-Star Game.

Minihane apologized for his comments in a statement posted on WEEI.com that night. But upon returning from vacation this Wednesday – his first day on the air since the original comments—he punctuated a verbal apology by suggesting that Andrews’s success is based on looks rather than ability, saying if she “weighed 15 pounds more she would be a waitress.”

Entercom’s announcement of Minihane’s suspension came approximately two hours after a letter from Fox Sports president Eric Shanks to Field was obtained by Boston.com. In the letter, Shanks informed Field that all advertising would be pulled and no Fox Sports personalities would be permitted to be guests on WEEI.

“The comments made by Mr. Minihane were boorish and sexist,’’ wrote Shanks. “Further, the “apology: made by Mr. Minihane was juvenile and insincere. To make matters worse, the “apology” was posted under a banner (allegedly approved by your Boston VP and Market Manager, Phil Zachary) hailing “The Triumphant Return of Kirk Minihane.”

“I had hoped by this time we might hear a sincere apology from WEEI, or perhaps someone from your office might have reached out to Fox (which through our film and television businesses is a significant advertiser on Entercom stations),’’ Shanks added. “However, none of that has been forthcoming, and needless to say we are disappointed.”

A Fox Sports spokesman said it is uncertain how much the network spends nationally in advertising on Entercom stations.

EEI should just get rid of the Dennis and Callahan show. I will listen to every show on EEI except for D and C.

sports is entertainment. I'd rather see a good looking woman ask stupid questions fed to her by the producer than a stupid ex-jock ask stupid questions fed to him by the producer. Semi intelligent jocks do color commentary. Professional, intelligent talking heads do play by play. Entertaining ex-jocks get to do panel discussions.

maybe it's wrong for good looking women who don't know sports to be hired as on camera talent. But it's also wrong for talented women not to be hired to work in the booth.

i don't care for Erin Andrews, but she's better than the guy on TBS with the bad toupe and loud sports coats and clashing ties.

This story has been picked up by many media outlets. I just happened to use boston.com.

In fact many,most posters here use BDC as one of their bases for a thread.

I do not know if you ever have, but if you have even once, then is your post not a bit hypocritical?

I get my news from many sources. I have a sub. to the NYTimes but also to the Herald. My inbox is full of dot com news sources such as TPM, Politico, The WSJ, The Political Daily Congressional Digest, etc.

I think it is insulting to simply post one's news source is "not news". I also think it was insulting to me as a poster.

If you have noticed my posts so far, you may have noticed the variety of my sources. Boston.com is hardly my goto source however everything in that article was factual. My commentary stands on its own merit.

This story has been picked up by many media outlets. I just happened to use boston.com.

In fact many,most posters here use BDC as one of their bases for a thread.

I do not know if you ever have, but if you have even once, then is your post not a bit hypocritical?

I get my news from many sources. I have a sub. to the NYTimes but also to the Herald. My inbox is full of dot com news sources such as TPM, Politico, The WSJ, The Political Daily Congressional Digest, etc.

I think it is insulting to simply post one's news source is "not news". I also think it was insulting to me as a poster.

If you have noticed my posts so far, you may have noticed the variety of my sources. Boston.com is hardly my goto source however everything in that article was factual. My commentary stands on its own merit.

Hi ...

This is why I check this forum once/week at most, and leave thinking the same thing: waste of time, the threads go no where, and there is no point to being here. I am sorry to say this, and do not direct it to you, "Sprague", but quite honestly, a moderator, a cleanse of posts being deleted, and nothing else can change what happens or is said here at the *organic* level. If it changes superficially, that is about all you can expect.

Personally, I am tired of the politicization of sports in general, as you can see, the "category" for this artricle is "Sports", not politics, and if it is on the front page of BDC, that is hardly a big deal b/c like most home pages, the stories change all day long. What is on top now, will be on the bottom in a few hours. No big deal

As for BDC, it has been teased out of all Globe management and content. I am a BG subscriber and have been posted on that site for quite a while, and it is *not* the same posters, the same articles, and none of the editorials or OpEd pieces are available. I heard the editor of the BG discuss their goals and new missions a couple of months ago, and even if the Globe "owns" the website "BDC" it would be similar to something like Proctor and Gamble "owning" a "brand" that runs on its own, it's only an acquisition on paper, and has nothing to do with how the brand is run.

As far as posting BDC articles, I feel they should be paraphrased, and the OP should come out and put a stake in the ground with their opinion FIRST, and let everyone else have at it if they want. Only the URL should be given, there is no need to paste the article here and it is exhausting to see, and lazy, to make all of the threads here no more than pasted articles, with no reason for their importance, substance, or even if the OP CARES ABOUT THE TOPIC other than to stir the pot.

This is why so many theads are a waste of time, and I am shocked that so many people even persist or respond to them *at all*. My eyes glaze over, they really do. I cant imagine spending so much time on negative energy.

I know that Sprague means well, but the bottom line is that the threads simply so not have power because you yourself do not seem to care about the topics that you post. If you don't care, why should anyone else.

And yes, What's his name posted an article from "BDC" this past week, from what I could see, so I would just laugh at his response. In the times I read (as I say, once/week if that) I rarely see anything that isn't sarcastic or superior in tone, and I wouldn't take anything he said seriously, either. He seems to post to pass the time, and for no other reason.

To make the point to "Hans" -- as of this very minute the TOP story on "BDC" is Market Basket, then Libya, Ramadan, and the health of a teen that was missing (local).

That illustrates how quickly "top stories" come and go.

Take care, and don't let this place take any more of your time on a beautiful day such as this. They are rare. :)

This story has been picked up by many media outlets. I just happened to use boston.com.

In fact many,most posters here use BDC as one of their bases for a thread.

I do not know if you ever have, but if you have even once, then is your post not a bit hypocritical?

I get my news from many sources. I have a sub. to the NYTimes but also to the Herald. My inbox is full of dot com news sources such as TPM, Politico, The WSJ, The Political Daily Congressional Digest, etc.

I think it is insulting to simply post one's news source is "not news". I also think it was insulting to me as a poster.

If you have noticed my posts so far, you may have noticed the variety of my sources. Boston.com is hardly my goto source however everything in that article was factual. My commentary stands on its own merit.

Hi ...

This is why I check this forum once/week at most, and leave thinking the same thing: waste of time, the threads go no where, and there is no point to being here. I am sorry to say this, and do not direct it to you, "Sprague", but quite honestly, a moderator, a cleanse of posts being deleted, and nothing else can change what happens or is said here at the *organic* level. If it changes superficially, that is about all you can expect.

Personally, I am tired of the politicization of sports in general, as you can see, the "category" for this artricle is "Sports", not politics, and if it is on the front page of BDC, that is hardly a big deal b/c like most home pages, the stories change all day long. What is on top now, will be on the bottom in a few hours. No big deal

As for BDC, it has been teased out of all Globe management and content. I am a BG subscriber and have been posted on that site for quite a while, and it is *not* the same posters, the same articles, and none of the editorials or OpEd pieces are available. I heard the editor of the BG discuss their goals and new missions a couple of months ago, and even if the Globe "owns" the website "BDC" it would be similar to something like Proctor and Gamble "owning" a "brand" that runs on its own, it's only an acquisition on paper, and has nothing to do with how the brand is run.

As far as posting BDC articles, I feel they should be paraphrased, and the OP should come out and put a stake in the ground with their opinion FIRST, and let everyone else have at it if they want. Only the URL should be given, there is no need to paste the article here and it is exhausting to see, and lazy, to make all of the threads here no more than pasted articles, with no reason for their importance, substance, or even if the OP CARES ABOUT THE TOPIC other than to stir the pot.

This is why so many theads are a waste of time, and I am shocked that so many people even persist or respond to them *at all*. My eyes glaze over, they really do. I cant imagine spending so much time on negative energy.

I know that Sprague means well, but the bottom line is that the threads simply so not have power because you yourself do not seem to care about the topics that you post. If you don't care, why should anyone else.

And yes, What's his name posted an article from "BDC" this past week, from what I could see, so I would just laugh at his response. In the times I read (as I say, once/week if that) I rarely see anything that isn't sarcastic or superior in tone, and I wouldn't take anything he said seriously, either. He seems to post to pass the time, and for no other reason.

To make the point to "Hans" -- as of this very minute the TOP story on "BDC" is Market Basket, then Libya, Ramadan, and the health of a teen that was missing (local).

That illustrates how quickly "top stories" come and go.

Take care, and don't let this place take any more of your time on a beautiful day such as this. They are rare. :)

yogafriend,

I have read your post twice. I have been out on this beautiful but hot and humid day trying to get some much needed exercise since I posted the 2nd comment I made on this thread.

I am too beat now to give your post the reply it deserves. I will get to it later or tomorrow when my body stops screaming at me so much. Given your screen name this is probably not something that happens to you. :)

I believe if the poster in question does not believe that boston.com=news, then he should not use it himself, as he has as recently as this week. Nobody jumped on him when he did that.

I also believe if he feels so strongly about this, then he should start a thread about this "issue". He maybe could justify it being in this forum by calling in "Politics and the Media" for example.

Then he could expand on his conclusion that boston.com is not news.

You are welcome.

might I suggest a new motto for the Globe?

"Yesterday's News, Printed Today"

ron,

Maybe we could pass your suggestion to the powers that be through the new moderator and see if they like it?

What do you think is more likely. The Sox come alive and repeat their World Series win OR the powers that be show the same sense of humor that you have?

Sounds like a plan!

i have found this board humorless. That's why I try to inject some observational humor every so often. So many people here actually believe what they write, with no consideration to the changing world we live in.

Kirk was a star when he was just on weekends. He never was offensive and always called out dennis and cal for these kinds of remarks. The front office put them together and Callahan rode Kirk for months. Kirk sold out and became slime like the morning crew.

Suspension is ridiculous. So he called her a "gutless b!tch". And? Are we really that PC now? Ok, maybe not a nice thing to say but suspended? Sigh...

People need to get over themselves. And we all know his comment that if she were heavier she'd be a waitress is spot on. She is not good at her job. She is there for eye candy. Not that I'm complaining. Definitely easy on the eyes. But let's not pretend she's some respected journalist. She has that job solely on her looks.

This story has been picked up by many media outlets. I just happened to use boston.com.

In fact many,most posters here use BDC as one of their bases for a thread.

I do not know if you ever have, but if you have even once, then is your post not a bit hypocritical?

I get my news from many sources. I have a sub. to the NYTimes but also to the Herald. My inbox is full of dot com news sources such as TPM, Politico, The WSJ, The Political Daily Congressional Digest, etc.

I think it is insulting to simply post one's news source is "not news". I also think it was insulting to me as a poster.

If you have noticed my posts so far, you may have noticed the variety of my sources. Boston.com is hardly my goto source however everything in that article was factual. My commentary stands on its own merit.

I don't think WDYWN meant it the way you are taking it. I think he was responding to Hansoribrother's comment. In fact it seemed as though he were agreeing with Hansoribrother's comment about the fact that there are many other things that Boston.com could have put on their front page.

In other words, I don't think his comments were directed at your OP.

BTW...all you need to know about whether Boston.com and the Boston Globe website are one and the same is this. One you pay for access and one is free. I think we all recognize that both are generated by the same company..but they are not the same website.

Suspension is ridiculous. So he called her a "gutless b!tch". And? Are we really that PC now? Ok, maybe not a nice thing to say but suspended? Sigh...

People need to get over themselves. And we all know his comment that if she were heavier she'd be a waitress is spot on. She is not good at her job. She is there for eye candy. Not that I'm complaining. Definitely easy on the eyes. But let's not pretend she's some respected journalist. She has that job solely on her looks.

Actually...even though I think WEEI is just awful...I have to agree with you. Literally..the only reason Erin Andrews is where she is is because of her looks. It's the nature of sports and society.

Anyone have any idea how many talented and knowledgeable women there are behind the scenes in the professional sports industry? Hundreds that could easily be on air talent and ask the kinds of intelligent questions people seem to want..but they don't look a certain way. Yet men of any age, shape or size are out there in front of the camera. It's the old double standard.

We'll never discuss this stuff though, because it's much easier to make one guy the bad guy for voicing what society quietly believes anyhow.

This story has been picked up by many media outlets. I just happened to use boston.com.

In fact many,most posters here use BDC as one of their bases for a thread.

I do not know if you ever have, but if you have even once, then is your post not a bit hypocritical?

I get my news from many sources. I have a sub. to the NYTimes but also to the Herald. My inbox is full of dot com news sources such as TPM, Politico, The WSJ, The Political Daily Congressional Digest, etc.

I think it is insulting to simply post one's news source is "not news". I also think it was insulting to me as a poster.

If you have noticed my posts so far, you may have noticed the variety of my sources. Boston.com is hardly my goto source however everything in that article was factual. My commentary stands on its own merit.

Hi ...

This is why I check this forum once/week at most, and leave thinking the same thing: waste of time, the threads go no where, and there is no point to being here. I am sorry to say this, and do not direct it to you, "Sprague", but quite honestly, a moderator, a cleanse of posts being deleted, and nothing else can change what happens or is said here at the *organic* level. If it changes superficially, that is about all you can expect.

Personally, I am tired of the politicization of sports in general, as you can see, the "category" for this artricle is "Sports", not politics, and if it is on the front page of BDC, that is hardly a big deal b/c like most home pages, the stories change all day long. What is on top now, will be on the bottom in a few hours. No big deal

As for BDC, it has been teased out of all Globe management and content. I am a BG subscriber and have been posted on that site for quite a while, and it is *not* the same posters, the same articles, and none of the editorials or OpEd pieces are available. I heard the editor of the BG discuss their goals and new missions a couple of months ago, and even if the Globe "owns" the website "BDC" it would be similar to something like Proctor and Gamble "owning" a "brand" that runs on its own, it's only an acquisition on paper, and has nothing to do with how the brand is run.

As far as posting BDC articles, I feel they should be paraphrased, and the OP should come out and put a stake in the ground with their opinion FIRST, and let everyone else have at it if they want. Only the URL should be given, there is no need to paste the article here and it is exhausting to see, and lazy, to make all of the threads here no more than pasted articles, with no reason for their importance, substance, or even if the OP CARES ABOUT THE TOPIC other than to stir the pot.

This is why so many theads are a waste of time, and I am shocked that so many people even persist or respond to them *at all*. My eyes glaze over, they really do. I cant imagine spending so much time on negative energy.

I know that Sprague means well, but the bottom line is that the threads simply so not have power because you yourself do not seem to care about the topics that you post. If you don't care, why should anyone else.

And yes, What's his name posted an article from "BDC" this past week, from what I could see, so I would just laugh at his response. In the times I read (as I say, once/week if that) I rarely see anything that isn't sarcastic or superior in tone, and I wouldn't take anything he said seriously, either. He seems to post to pass the time, and for no other reason.

To make the point to "Hans" -- as of this very minute the TOP story on "BDC" is Market Basket, then Libya, Ramadan, and the health of a teen that was missing (local).

That illustrates how quickly "top stories" come and go.

Take care, and don't let this place take any more of your time on a beautiful day such as this. They are rare. :)

yogafriend,

I apologize for taking so long to get back to you.

You obviously have been posting on BDC for a long time and have developed a strong opinion about the political forums in that time.

If I had replied earlier, I would probably have thanked you for your thoughtful post as well as taking the time and energy to post tome.

Then I would probably have gone through your post respectfully, point by point.

But the longer Sunday went on, the more I found myself ruminating about it to my surprise.

I am not going to go through it point by point. At this early stage, though I have had no real problems, and feel I am settling in, I can see that this forum has a ways to go before it gets turned around.

There are probably multiple reasons that it is the way it is and BDC seems to be making a start to change that. If it works, it should attract many more posters who are able to dig deep into political issues.

MM has impressed me very much so far. With more staff members and the easing out of this outside moderating company as well of course the cooperation of the posters there may be a major turnaround.

I do know Sox posters. Down there, they are pretty much running their own show. I do not think that would have worked here at all.

Posters who like little moderation probably will not be so happy and may eventually leave. Posters who come to stir the pot and fight rather than debate also probably will not like this.

As for me, summer is my favorite time of the year. And after this particular brutal winter posting here while the forum is just starting a transition may not be the best choice for these great nights and weekends.

So, I may for now, do a lot less posting, keep tabs on how it it going and catch up on what makes me truly happy.